A paraffin bath is an appliance that is used to melt paraffin for therapeutic purposes. Warm paraffin wax melted in the bath is used to treat dry, chapped hands and may provide pain relief for stiff or aching joints that may be caused by bursitis and arthritis.
Paraffin baths are known that include a metal inner tub in which the paraffin wax is melted. Paraffin baths made of metal are relatively expensive to manufacture and can be dented if improperly handled.
Applicants' assignees' prior paraffin bath of application Ser. No. 09/523,506 discloses a method of making a paraffin bath having a plastic inner tub and having heating elements that comprise braided wire sandwiched between layers of foil that are assembled to the side walls of the inner tub and base wall of the inner tub.
The prior art also includes devices such as foot baths that have a rope heater attached to integrally formed flanges on a base wall. An example of such a device is disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/631,643, filed Aug. 2, 2000 that is assigned to the assignee of this application. The prior art foot baths do not have side wall mounted heating elements and are intended to heat water or at least prevent previously heated water from cooling down.
There is a need for a paraffin bath in which all major structural components are formed by a simple, reliable and inexpensive process. For example, there is a need for a paraffin bath manufactured from structural parts that are injection molded of a temperature resistant plastic such as polypropylene. There is also a need for a manufacturing process utilizing injection molded parts that are assembled with a heating element and controller in an efficient and cost effective manner. There is also a need for a simple, durable paraffin bath appliance that is inexpensive to manufacture.
These and other problems and objectives are addressed by applicant's invention as will be summarized below.